A Letter
by Chrysantha Justine Addison
Summary: Just breathe Mike and speak from the heart Mike thought, exhaling, his heart knowing exactly what he was going to say. My first 17 Again FanFic, please be gentle!


**A/N: Okay this is my first 17 Again FanFic I hope you like it, this is one of my favorite parts of the movie because Zac Efron was really good at it. So Read and Review please. Note: I DO NOT OWN 17 AGAIN OR THE CHARACTERS ONLY THE PLOT. Did you know today is September 7****th****, 2010 (21 years after Mike met Scarlett! Weird) **

* * *

"I got a letter from Mike O' Donnell he's the husband in this case!" Mike exclaimed in desperation, holding the paper he had in his hands. Scarlett's ears perked up. A_ letter, Mike never said anything about writing a letter to her _she thought But the judge refused to cooperate; after all, she had a lot of stuff to do today.

She shook her head "I'm sorry but we're in the middle of-"

She knew whatever Mike had to say , it wasn't going to change anything and the letter was most likely a "pathetic reason" why he didn't decide to show up for the divorce for the _second_ time in a row. But still… In curiosity she stood up "Your honor, if it's okay I'd like to hear the letter, please." The judge rolled her eyes in irritation as she motioned the dirty blonde boy to come forward. Mike knew that he didn't really have a letter….. It was really the address to the court but, he knew that Scarlett had to hear what he had to say. He inhaled deeply "Thank you your honor…." He gulped. "This is a letter from Mike O' Donnell and he wanted me to read it. He cleared his throat as he pretended to read from the paper. _Just breathe Mike and speak from the heart_ Mike thought, exhaling, his heart knowing exactly what he was going to say.

"Scarlet, before you go through this, I want to remind you of September 7th, 1988. It was the first time that I saw you. You were reading Less Than Zero, and you were wearing a Guns 'n' Roses t-shirt. I'd never seen anything so perfect. I remember thinking that I had to have you or I'd die." Mike said doing his best to prevent his voice from cracking.

* * *

_September 7__th__ 1988, _

_"Can you believe this Mike?" Ned exclaimed as he and Mike entered the Hayden High School cafeteria. _

_"I know" Mike grinned "We're officially seniors!" he said in excitement. _

_"No, my magazine subscription is almost up!" Ned said shoving the September issue of his Lord of the Rings magazine in Mike's face pointing at the red sticker. Mike shook his head in amusement. Sometimes he wondered how he ended up with a dork of a best friend. Mike watched as many of his classmates began to sit down in the cafeteria. He could hear the familiar tune of Bust a Move as one came with a boom box holding it close to his ear as he bopped his head to the music. He walked forward nodding his head to a bunch of cheerleaders who were waving flirtatiously at him. As they giggled in response Mike rolled his eyes finally finding a spot for him and Ned. Cheerleaders will be Cheerleaders he thought as he took a bite of his burger. Ned sat in front of him as he continued to look at his magazine. "Whoa" the blonde exclaimed. "They have the Gandalf action figure on sale for 9.99" Mike gave him a weird look. Gandalf who? Shaking his head at his best friends obsession of Lord of the Rings he replied, his mouth full. _

_"You just can't get enough of Lord of the Rings can you?" _

_Ned looked up "You just can't get enough of basketball can you?" he asked his eyebrows raised. He rolled his eyes taking another bite of his hamburger. Basketball was everything to him. After all he was the basketball star of his class and recruits from everywhere were coming to see him. Ned just didn't understand how important basketball was to him , to his future. Basketball was…he stopped , his eyes stopping at a girl most likely his age. Her hair a scarlet red reaching all the way up to her shoulders and she was wearing a Guns and Roses T-Shirt with some bright blue jeans. His blue eyes continued to look at her as she sipped her milk. He felt sweat pour down his forehead , this girl was nothing compared to the cheerleaders. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest waiting for her to look at him. It seemed the world was in slow motion as she turned the page in the book. Mike peered at the cover as he read the words Less than Zero. He gulped nervously, who was this girl he thought and why didn't he know about her. Maybe she was just another freshman or a foreign exchange student …Maybe from Europe. Whoever she was , Mike had never seen anyone so….. flawless and perfect. He had to know her name he just had to. Maybe her name was Caitlin or Kathy or….._

_"MIKE!" _

_Mike snapped from his thoughts looking at the direction of where he heard his name. There, he saw Ned being dragged to the boy's bathroom. Not again , Mike thought as he got up. He looked again at the mystery girl who was looking at him to Mike's surprise. Her face held no expression as Mike waved at her clearly smitten with her, the girl gave a small smile as she continued to read her book. _

_"Scarlett, do you have any idea who that was?" her friend Naomi said sitting next to her. _

_"The guy who was waving at me?" Scarlett asked in clarification._

_"Yeah, that was Mike O' Donnell, the most popular guy in Hayden High." The brunette said in excitement. Scarlett looked back at him as he headed towards the bathroom. So that was the Mike O' Donnell she heard so much about. She raised her eyebrows. _

_"I think he likes you." Naomi said in a sing song voice _

_Scarlett widened her brown eyes, Mike O' Donnell, like her? She barley knew him there was no way he could possibly like her. She looked as she saw Mike O' Donnell emerge from the bathroom with a small blonde boy whose head was completely drenched. He gave a small smile as she looked at her. As she hid in her book blushing she said to herself ….. Or did he?_

* * *

Scarlett continued to listen as Mark read the letter; she couldn't help but wonder if Mark's voice was breaking. Maybe the letter was getting to him. She shrugged still shocked the Mike actually remembered that day. Mike did his best tried not to break down in front of Scarlett. He inhaled feeling his blue eyes get wet.

"...…..And then you whispered that you loved me at the homecoming dance, and I felt so peaceful... and safe... because I knew that no matter what happened, from that day on, nothing can ever be that bad... because I had you…..." He said his voice breaking. Mike was never the one to cry, he wasn't the sensitive one, but he felt his feelings get to him as he flashbacked to the homecoming dance.

* * *

_April 1989_

_Okay Class of 1989, who's having a good time? The DJ yelled into the microphone. The seniors cheered in response clapping their hands and pumping their fists in the air. _

_"Okay now it's time to slow things down and jam to a slow tune." The DJ said as __Tyren Perry's you Are My Everything began to play. Mike O' Donnell grinned at Scarlett , this was their song ,the song they had their first dance to. He extended his hand in indication that he wanted to dance with her, Scarlett smiled walking towards him as he held her close. Scarlett hid he face in his chest , hiding the anxiousness she was feeling. She had to tell him something , something that might change their 6 month relationship. Mike buried his face in Scarlett's strawberry blonde hair, inhaling the shampoo she used to wash her hair. You are my everything Mike whispered into her ear kissing her cheek. Scarlett sighed . She knew that this time was right to tell him , tell him what she had been feeling for the past month . She took a deep breath as she pulled away from Mike's chest. Mike surprised, looked at his girlfriend who was on the verge of tears. _

_"What's wrong Scar?" Mike asked using his personal nickname , caressing her face. Scarlett ran __her fingers through her hair. Taking a deep breath she leaned up to him kissing him with all her might, bracing herself for what she had to say. Looking deep into those blue eyes , the ones that made her feel safe , the ones that asked her to be his girlfriend on October 17__th__ 1988. I love you she said finally exhailing. Mike O' Donnell blinked once , twice , three times before he could even stammer. She loved him …. It was so ….. shocking and suprising. He broke into a grin as he wrapped his arms around her spinning her around as he did his best to hold back tears. He kissed his Scar as he set her down whispering in her ear "I love you too Scar." Mike wrapped his girlfriend in a hug holding her as close as he could knowing that no matter what, he would always have his Scar._

* * *

Mike couldn't hold his tears back any longer as he looked down at the paper and not to look at the love of his life. How could he have been so stupid over the years? All he cared about was what could have been rather than what he had. And now that he realized this …. He was losing everything. Was that the real reason why his spirit god changed him in the first place? He gulped knowing what he had to say next. Mike hated the truth but that's what exactly it was … the truth. . "And then I, uh... I grew up and I lost my way. And I blamed you for my failures." He said briefly looking at Scarlett. Scarlett looked at Mark, was he actually crying? She held back tears herself remembering how Mike was back in the 90's.

* * *

_1993 _

_21 year old Mike emerged from the door, his lips scrunged , his eyes narrowed and his face was apple he was pissed. And if everyone knew one thing, it was to stay away from Mike whenever he was pissed. But like Scarlett had a choice, after all they both had a 4 year old and a 2 year old to take care of. Scarlett walked to him taking a deep breath. Okay he's in one of his moods don't tick him off Scar. _

_"Hey baby." Scarlett said walking towards him as he yanked off his tie. _

"_How was your day" she asked avoiding the question that was lingering in her head she really wanted to ask. Mike turned his head from his wife as she slumped her shoulders. _

_"You want some dinner I made your favorite," she asked heading towards the small kitchen as she took out a ham sandwich. Ham sandwiches always made Mike feel better. _

_"I didn't get the job." Mike muttered, loud enough for Scarlett to hear. Scarlett felt her hopes diminish as he took of his business shirt. Well, that answers that question. _

_"Oh baby, its okay, better luck next time right?" she asked hoping to lighten up the mood. _

_"You know, if I had gone to college we would have been rich right now, and we wouldn't have ham sandwiches every single night." Mike said, now that he had outgrown his obsession of ham and was growing very tired of them. Scarlett sighed deeply, here he goes again. "Instead I have to work with you and two children." He said, his voice rising with every word. Scarlett turned around trying her best to hide the hurt in her eyes. _

_"Are you saying it's my fault that you didn't get to live your life as a "basketball star" Scarlett clarified? _

_"You don't see me blaming Michael Jackson now do you." He snarled getting up to go into the kitchen. _

_"Well, last time I checked it takes 2 to tango Mike and you were the one that got me pregnant in the first place!" Scarlett exclaimed. Mike knew that deep down inside she was right, that he did want to have sex, and it was mainly his responsibility as well as Scarlett's. He would do anything to change the past but for now, he had an angry wife and two children to take care of. _

_"Well you know what? I regret ever having sex, and if I could take it all back I would try to stop myself from meeting you." He yelled grabbing a drink and walking to his room. Scarlett tried her best to hold back tears. Does he really hate me that much, Scarlett thought as she wiped away tears. Mike walked further, stopping in his tracks as he reached his hand to open the door to his bedroom when he heard his wife speak again. _

_"So you're saying you regretted ever meeting me, that you regret ….. Loving me" Scarlett asked her voice breaking. Mike had a huge urge to walk over to his wife and hug her as she sobbed in his arms. Part of him wanted to rub her back whispering that he loved her too much to ever regret loving her... No, he kept thinking of the life he could have had without her, with even bigger fans cheering his name. But it was nothing but a dream and it was all Scarlett's fault. _

_"Yeah" he finally said slamming the door behind him. Scarlett landed face down on the couch sobbing out what she had just heard. She didn't know how long how long she was there but all of the sudden she felt someone touch her hair. Was it Mike? She looked up only to see her daughter Maggie there. "Don't cry Mommy, its okay" the 4 year old said. _

_Scarlett, who had grown up thinking that Mothers should be the one comforting their daughters, wrapped her arms around her 4 year old daughter as she sobbed again. _

* * *

Mike could feel the tears running down his cheeks, knowing that he had done nothing but complain for the past 20 years and he would do anything to take it all back. Ever since he was transformed into a teenager he thought the goal was to change the past and start over. But now he realized what a terrible father and husband he had been. He took a deep breath and continued, "And I know that you think you have to do this today... but I don't want you to." He loved Scarlett with all of his heart , the way she smiled the way she was so caring and kind … but she deserved better , perhaps he owed her date from the other day an apology. If anything he, himself was the douche "But I guess... if I love you," he continued now looking up at Scarlett not caring how he looked. "I should let you move on."

Scarlett could do nothing but stare as he finished the letter. Mike …. Loved her? Scarlett sat back as she thought deeply. Unlike Scarlett, the judge who had better things to do then watch a love story unfold in her courtroom snapped Scarlett from her thoughts saying, "Alright son you need to go now." Scarlett watched as Mark put the letter down as he and Ned was escorted out of the courtroom by the guards. Scarlett then sat back again. Maybe she needed time to reconsider, to think,

"Your honor is it okay if we postponed this for a while would that is okay?" she asked

"Postponed 30 days next case." The judge said rolling her eyes. One less case to worry about….

Scarlett walked over to the desk as she looked at the …. Letter? All there was was the address to the court. Did that mean….. Mark was actually…. Mike? Yep ,she definitely needed to think for a while.


End file.
